Pediatrics

Monument Health specializes in caring for kids, from the usual bumps and bruises to complex challenges like diabetes and neurological issues. Pediatricians and family medicine providers offer preventive care services such as well-child visits and immunizations, as well as care for a wide range of illnesses and chronic health conditions like ear, nose and throat illness and surgery; endocrine conditions including diabetes; infections and immune system conditions; gastrointestinal illness and surgery; neurologic illness and surgery; cancer follow-up treatment; urinary and bladder illness and surgery.

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Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care

Rapid City Hospital is designated as a Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care for demonstrating expertise and a commitment to quality care for vaginal and cesarean section deliveries

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Specialty Services

Children's

Hospital Care

Rapid City Hospital’s Pediatric Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are here for you if your child requires hospitalization.

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Safe Sleep Initiative

National Certified Bronze Safe Sleep Hospital

Monument Health currently has a bronze level certification as a Safe Sleep Hospital from Cribs for Kids. The Cribs for Kids National Infant Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program recognizes hospitals and hospital systems for their commitment to implement American Academy of Pediatrics evidence-based practices to reduce the rate of unsafe sleep injuries and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) related to unsafe sleep, including Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB) and SIDS.

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SUID and Safe Sleep Overview

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), which includes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), is the leading cause of injury death in infancy. Sleep is a big challenge for families with babies, but following safe sleep recommendations can prevent many SUID fatalities. Help the families in your practice learn how their babies can sleep safely so parents can sleep soundly.

The rate of sleep-related infant death declined significantly in the 1990s after the AAP and others recommended that babies be placed on their backs to sleep, but rates have since plateaued, and SIDS remains the leading cause of post neonatal mortality. Black and Native American/Alaska Native infants die at rates more than double that of white babies.

Download the Safe Sleep Plan Brochure

South Dakota Infant Mortality Rates

While South Dakota saw dramatic improvements from the 1960s to the 1990s, progress has stalled in recent years. The state’s rates remain consistently higher than the national average, with preventable factors such as congenital malformations, unsafe sleep conditions, and maternal health risks contributing to deaths.

Sleep-related infant deaths are a serious concern. Unsafe sleep environments put babies at higher risk for tragedy—and many of these deaths can be prevented

Between 2019 and 2023, 89 sleep-related infant deaths were reviewed by the South Dakota Child Death Review team.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) accounts for nearly 1 in 5 infant deaths in South Dakota, with unsafe sleep conditions being a major contributing factor.
63% of these sleep-related infant deaths occurred while baby was sharing a sleep surface with an adult and/or child.
Unsafe sleep environments include adult beds, couches, chairs, car seats, swings, rock ‘n plays, or cribs that do not meet safety guidelines.
87% of these sleep-related infant deaths were considered potentially preventable after review.

Source: South Dakota Child Death Review, 2019–2023.

What We've Learned from 10 Years of Infant Mortality Data

South Dakota’s infant mortality rate has remained stable over the past decade despite national declines.

Congenital malformations have remained the leading cause of infant mortality (~25% of deaths).

Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID) account for nearly 1 in 5 infant deaths, with unsafe sleep conditions as a major contributing factor.

A growing percentage of sleep-related infant deaths occur in adult beds, increasing from 47% (2014–2018) to 63% (2019–2023).

Maternal smoking, substance use disorder, and maternal health conditions continue to be significant risk factors.

For an overview of recent trends, please see the South Dakota Infant Mortality Analysis – 2024 (Provisional Data)

How South Dakota Compares to the U.S.

As the graph demonstrates, except for 2016, our rates persistently exceeded the Healthy People target of 5.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. This persistent gap underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions and a renewed focus on addressing the underlying factors contributing to these elevated rates.